Council to protect rural Dural, calls for funding to upgrade New Line Rd
It has been the apple of developers eye’s for decades, but now The Hills Shire Council has installed new protections on the suburb of Dural in the battle to protect our rural fringes.
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It has been the apple of developers eye’s for decades, but now The Hills Shire Council has installed new protections on the suburb of Dural in the battle to protect our rural fringes.
A new independent investigation into the capability of increased residential development in Dural was handed down to Hills Shire councillors last month.
The investigation, which comes after a series of landmark development applications were submitted for the rural areas, aimed to determine “whether or not the area is suitable to be pursued as an urban land release”.
The investigation found that although there was land suitable for development, a lack of local and regional infrastructure would “hinder orderly urban development”.
“There are no government plans to encourage additional growth in the investigation area,” the findings report said.
“Constraints arising from lack of capability in transport and service infrastructure would be likely to preclude any development.”
THE BATTLE FOR RURAL DURAL
South Dural development plans withdrawn by developers
Dural seniors housing plans rejected by NSW Government
Dural seniors village plans revived after court dismissal
Residents hit out against proposal for Dural aged care centre
A Hills Shire Council report following the assessment called for councillors to halt any further plans for the rezoning of land in Dural and call for the NSW Government to increase traffic infrastructure.
But on Tuesday night, councillors took extra steps to ensure that development in Dural would not occur unless developers “can deliver the required local and regional infrastructure upgrades at no cost to council”.
Councillors also called for the NSW Government for funding to allow for the upgrade of Old Northern and New Line roads “to address existing capacity problems”.
Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne, who has long campaigned for the NSW Government to provide funding for a bypass road between Annangrove and Old Northern roads and the upgrade of New Line Rd, urged Hornsby Council to support The Hills by lobbying the NSW Government.
While Liberal councillor Brooke Collins said the stance taken was to protect ratepayers from forking out the bill for infrastructure that will benefit developers.
“Sometimes council can be seen to be overzealous about urbanising and overdeveloping areas,” he said.
“But this is an example of council acting with a great deal of due diligence and working towards a co-ordinated long term approach for the planning of Dural.
“We want to make sure that if we look at urbanising rural land, we have appropriate infrastructure installed at no cost to council and ratepayers.”
Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock said traffic experienced on a daily basis in Dural is a result of increased development in Kellyville and Rouse Hill.
“Development in nearby areas is having a significant impact on local roads in Dural,” Cr Ruddock told the Times.
“Hornsby has taken the view of not supporting any development in South Dural and our view has been that the issues surrounding New Line Rd and Boundary Rd need to be addressed before anything is considered.”
Cr Ruddock said if Dural is ever urbanised, he hopes it is “the Glenhaven of the East”.
“Hornsby Council are also very active to objecting seniors living in the area, because evidence suggests increased congestion occurs on roads with these kinds of developments,” he said.
“We have raised our concerns about New Line Rd with the NSW Government and Minister Roberts said the government’s program did not envisage New Line Rd being dealt with in the short term.”
Cr Ruddock said smaller development planning is, however, occurring in Galston, Annangrove and Glenorie.
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